Applicator

ABSTRACT

This applicator for waxing floors and like uses, comprises a one piece vacuum formed resilient plastic top to the underside of which a foam pad is adhered. This top has a groove into which one end of the handle easily snaps. The groove is somewhat greater than semi-circular in transverse angular extent and the groove is of somewhat less diameter than the diameter of the handle, to firmly grip the handle to the top. The handle can be snapped out of the top for replacement or storage.

United States Patent [191 Tischler et a1. 1

[ NOV. 13, 1973 1 APPLICATOR [75 Inventors: Steven L. Tischler, Whitestone; James D. Dowdell, Haverstraw,

both of NY.

[73] Assignee: Empire Brushes, Inc., Port [22] Filed: Sept. 15, 1971 211 Appl. No.: 180,742

[52] U.S. Cl. 15/244 R, l5/145, 306/20 [51] Int. Cl A471 13/16 [58] Field of Search 15/110,145,187, l5/l88, 244 R, 244 CH; 24/257 R; 211/65;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,649,987 3/1972 Tomingas et al. 15/245 3,113,363 12/1963 Fyvie 24/257 R 2,221,128 11/1940 Bates 15/244 CH 2,877,478 3/19 Kohlwev et al. 15/176 X 3,214,776 11/1965 Bercovitz 15/176 UX 2,807,820 10/1957 Dinhofer 15/176 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 886,735 8/1953 Germany 15/184 488,108 11/1952 Canada 15/244 CH Primary Examiner-Daniel Blum Att0rneyJ. B.- Felshin [57] ABSTRACT This applicator for waxing floors and like uses, comprises a one piece vacuum formed resilient plastic top to the underside of which a foam pad is adhered. This top has a groove into which one end of the handle easily snaps. The groove is somewhat greater than semicircular in transverse angular extent and the groove is of somewhat less diameter than the diameter of the handle, to firmly grip the handle to the top. The handle can be snapped out of the top for replacement or storage.

9 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEI] Nov 13 I975 INVENTORS S75v5 larvae/ask BY JAM: 12 000/05.

Af/VRMF) APPLICATOR This invention relates to applicators such as wax applicators.

Most wax applicators use an injection molded plastic top or two pieces of wood, and employ sheepskin as the applicating material. Such construction is cumbersome, and there is difficulty in attaching the handle thereto. It is hence an object of this invention to provide a wax applicator in which these difficulties are obviated.

Another object of this invention is to provide a wax applicator of the character described having a one piece vacuum formed resilient plastic top formed with a groove into which a handle can easily snap and be frictionally and resiliently gripped.

Another object of this invention is to provide an applicator of the character described having a top to the underside of which a foam pad is attached, said top having a groove of more than semi-circular transverse angular extent, into which a handle of round stock can snap, to firmly attach the handle" to the top.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an applicator of the character described in which the top has a groove of greater than semi-circular transverse angular extent, and in which said groove is of a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the handle, whereby the handle will be tightly gripped when the handle is snapped into the groove.

A further object of this invention is to provide a strong and durable wax applicator of the character described, which shall be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, easy to assemble and manipulate, and which shall yet be practical and efficient in use.

e Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of invention will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown various illustrative embodiments of this invention,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an applicator embodying the invention, with part of the handle broken away;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG. 2 and FIG. 4 is a partial cross-section view of the top of the applicator at right angles to the axis of the groove, with the handle removed.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, designates a wax applicator embodying the invention. Said applicator 10 comprises generally of an applicator top 11, to the underside of which a foam pad 12 is attached, and to which a handle 13 is also removably attached.

The top 11 is a vacuum formed plastic top made of polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride propionate or other suitable resilient sheet plastic which normally holds its shape. As is well known, vacuum form molding comprises heating plastic sheets and forming them over aluminum castings to obtain desired shapes. Vacuum is used to draw the heated sheet against the casting.

Said top 11 comprises a single piece and may be about 0.045 inch in thickness. Said top comprises a horizontal elongated bottom wall 15 of rectangular shape provided with downwardly extending front and rear parallel flanges 16, 16a, respectively, and end flanges l7. Extending up from top wall 15 is a front vertical wall 18, a rear wall 19 and side walls 20.

Extending upwardly and rearwardly from the upper end of front wall 18, at an angle of 45 is a sloping or inclined top'wall 22. Walls 18 and 19 may converge upwardly slightly. Side walls 20 also converge upwardly. The upper end of wall 22 is connected to the side walls 20. Extending from the upper end of wall 22 and sloping downwardly and rearwardly at an angle of 45 is a top wall 24 connected at its sides to upper ends of side walls 20, and at its lower rear end, to the upper end of rear wall 19.

The top walls 22, 24 are recessed to form a central upwardly and rearwardly inclined groove bounded at its lower front end by a flat wall 31 and a part cylindrical wall 32. The axis of groove 30 is located below wall 22. Wall 24 has a notch forming the rear, upper, open end of the groove 30.

The distance from the top of wall 22 to the bottom of groove 30 is greater than the radius of said groove. Thus at the upper end of the groove are parallel edge portions which overlap or overhang the groove.

The usual handle 13 is round and 0.750 inch in diameter. The normal curvature of groove 30 is preferably 0.675 inch ID. The width of the groove between parallel edges 35 is 0.660 inch. The depth of the groove from the top wall 22 to the bottom of the groove is preferably 0.500 inch. Thus, as the lower end of the handle is pressed into the groove edge portions 35 are momentarily spread apart as the handle snaps into the groove.

, Since the internal diameter of groove 30 is less than the outer diameter of the handle, the groove wall 32 frictionally presses against the outside of the handle so that the handle remains attached to the top when waxing.

It will be noted that less than half the diameter of the handle is exposed above the groove 30. When the handle is in the groove, the groove wall remains slightly spread open.

Walls 20 are connected to wall 15 by hollowribs 40 each having a front wall 40a, a rear wall 40b and a top curved wall 40c.

Top wall 15 may be formed near its outer ends with raised hollow reinforcing ribs extending from front to rear and located near end flanges 17.

The sponge pad 12 may be made of polyester foam sponge, polyether or polyurethane or like sponge like material.

The pad projects down below the flanges 16, 16a, 17. The top surface of the sponge may be covered with a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive. A strip sheet (not shown) may cover the upper surface of the pad. This sheet is stripped off before pressing the pad against the undersurface of wall 15.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative.

I claim:

1. An applicator comprising a top and a pad attached to the underside of the top, said top being made of resil ient material and having a groove at its upper side open at one end and adapted to receive one end of a handle, said top comprising one piece of sheet plastic material and having an upwardly and rearwardly inclined top wall, said upwardly and rearwardly inclined top wall being formed with said groove closed at its forward end opening upward and to its rear end, said groove being part cylindrical in shape and of a depth somewhat greater than its radius.

2. The combination of claim 1, said pad comprising a resilient foam material and being adhered to the underside of said top.

3. The combination of claim 1, said pad comprising resilient foam and projecting down below said top.

4. The combination of claim 1, and a cylindrical handle having one end frictionally and resiliently received in said groove.

' 5. The combination of claim 4, the normal internal diameter of said groove being less than the diameter of said handle.

6. The combination of claim 1 said top being hollow at its underside and having a botton wall, front, side and rear walls extending up from said bottom wall, and a downwardly and rearwardly inclined top wall extending from said upwardly and rearwardly extending top wall.

therebelow. 

1. An applicator comprising a top and a pad attached to the underside of the top, said top being made of resilient material and having a groove at its upper side open at one end and adapted to receive one end of a handle, saiD top comprising one piece of sheet plastic material and having an upwardly and rearwardly inclined top wall, said upwardly and rearwardly inclined top wall being formed with said groove closed at its forward end opening upward and to its rear end, said groove being part cylindrical in shape and of a depth somewhat greater than its radius.
 2. The combination of claim 1, said pad comprising a resilient foam material and being adhered to the underside of said top.
 3. The combination of claim 1, said pad comprising resilient foam and projecting down below said top.
 4. The combination of claim 1, and a cylindrical handle having one end frictionally and resiliently received in said groove.
 5. The combination of claim 4, the normal internal diameter of said groove being less than the diameter of said handle.
 6. The combination of claim 1 said top being hollow at its underside and having a botton wall, front, side and rear walls extending up from said bottom wall, and a downwardly and rearwardly inclined top wall extending from said upwardly and rearwardly extending top wall.
 7. The combination of claim 6, and a cylindrical handle having one end frictionally and resiliently received in said groove.
 8. The combination of claim 7, the normal internal diameter of said groove being less than the diameter of said handle.
 9. The combination of claim 6, front, side and rear walls extending down from said botton wall, and said pad being partially located between said downwardly extending front side and rear walls and projecting therebelow. 